An anxious patient consults with a therapist about a problem that threatens to destroy him. But, as the session progresses, the patient starts to wonder whether the therapist might be part of the problem. The Barrell of Laughs  was written by Charles Macpherson and performed by David Verrey and Sam Thorpe Spinks.  It was directed by Max Elton with sound design by Piers Sherwood Roberts. Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April...

You have been listening to Slippy Maggie, written by Miranda Langley, and starring Lesley Sharp as Jeanette.  Slippy Maggie was directed by Alice Fitzgerald with sound design by Nicola T Chang.   It was produced by Hew Rous-Eyre. Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of upcoming submission windows. If you would like to support the work we do, please consider...

The problem with theory is that once you’ve started, you can’t stop.” A student sits down to begin work on her dissertation. She has things to say but she’s finding it difficult to say them, and before long she begins to spiral.   You have been listening to Serve, Fault, Ace  by Lucy Curtis, starring Rebekah Murrell.  Serve, Fault, Ace was directed by Goerge Nichols with sound design by Alice Boyd. Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights...

Foreseeing an endless succession of disasters and tragedies awaiting them beneath the streets of London, Charlotte and Samuel will do anything it takes in order to stay out of harm’s way. You have been listening to God of Circles by Billy Brooks, starring Amelia Bullmore and Tom Rosenthal.   God of Circles was directed by Max Elton with sound design by Marcus Rice.  Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our...

Passing a restaurant window, a woman feels a powerful sense of connection to a man sitting inside, and is compelled to enter... Deja Vu was written by Sarah Baylis. It was performed by Amy Loughton, directed by Nicky Allpress, with sound design by Joseff Harris. It was produced by Max Elton.  Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of upcoming submission...

Kyla and Dario are here to execute a job. Kyla has a knife. Dario has a secret. I Love Television was written by Matthew Stephen Smith and performed by Tamara Lawrance as Kyla and Philip Arditti as Dario.   It was directed by Oscar Toeman with sound design and composition by Jack Baxter.  It was produced by Max Elton.  Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of...

Ann works at Poundland. It isn’t the most exciting job, but when the gorgeous Larry Simmons walks in, that quickly starts to change. Two Fingers was written and performed by Rosaleen Cox, with Declan Rodgers as Larry.   It was directed by Hannah Hauer-King with sound design by Piers Sherwood Roberts.  It was produced by Hew Rous-Eyre.  CONTENT WARNING: Towards the end of this episode there are graphic descriptions of an eating disorder which some listeners may find upsetting.  Through The...

Cathy is gardening. Or at least, she’s pretending to. The truth is she’s looking for something. Something she doesn’t necessarily want to find. The Dig was written by Stephen Condor. It was performed by Hannah Stokley and directed by Evangeline Cullingworth with sound design by Marcus Rice.  It was produced by Hew Rous-Eyre.  Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of...

Fracture Mechanics was written by Hester Styles-Vickery. It was performed by Kate O’Flynn. Fracture Mechanics was directed by Georgie Staight with sound design by Nicola T Chang.  It was produced by Hew Rous-Eyre.  Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of upcoming submission windows. If you would like to support the work we do, please consider pledging to our Patreon...

"A young woman has a question to ask. It’s a big question, it could change everything.   She needs to be prepared." Tree Rings was written by Mandy Wheeler. It was performed by Breffni Holahan as Amy and Sarah Woodward as the Director. Tree Rings was directed and produced by Max Elton with sound design by Marcus Rice. Through The Painkiller Project, Bitter Pill has been collaborating with emerging playwrights since April 2020. Visit our website or follow us on Twitter for updates of upcoming...

Ethan’s a different person when he’s drunk. And one morning, clearing up after the night before turns out to be a bigger job than he’d expected. Clear-Up was written by Charlotte Cromie and performed by Daniel Ings. It was directed by Dom Riley with sound design by Piers Sherwood Roberts.  This production is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England However, it is still crucial that we raise additional funds to support the continuation of the...

A social media moderator is forced to view thousands of graphic images every day. At a toddler’s birthday party, she finds herself plagued by intrusive thoughts. Moderation  was written by Alice McKee and performed by Freya Mavor. It was directed by Max Elton with sound design and music by Jack Baxter. This production is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England However, it is still crucial that we raise additional funds to support the...

It can be easy and simple, it can be fun and sexy, but sometimes it can be more. A nude image is not just a photo – but also a reflection of our hopes and dreams. Send Nudes was written and performed by Katie Burnett. It was directed by Joshua Roche with sound design by Joseff Harris.  This production is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England However, it is still crucial that we raise additional funds to support the continuation of the project....

Alfred is desperate to get in the bath but for his own good, Marjory won’t let him. He knows she’s right of course, but surely one toe wouldn’t hurt?  Bath Time was written by Daisy Hall and performed by Jason Watkins and Anna Chancellor. It was directed by Hannah de Ville and sound designed by Tingying Dong. This production is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England However, it is still crucial that we raise additional funds to support the...

Gina is flying home from Puerto Rico when her plane makes an unscheduled stop. Before long, she is in an interrogation room, trying to answer some awkward questions about the contents of her suitcase.Sharp was written by Cat Kolubayev and performed by...

Feeling the rumblings of violence and social collapse, a woman prepares for the end of the world. As she does, it becomes increasingly clear that everyone else is ignoring the inevitable. It Has Become Very Frightening was written by Nadia Menuhin and...

"I have lied about a lot of things. I have lied about where I live, how old I am, about why I’m late to the party. I have lied about reading certain books, about visiting certain countries, about having an A in GCSE Spanish. I have lied about who I’ve...

"We both agreed that I was the funny one in the relationship. The only joke I ever told she didn't like was that one about those little Thai footy fellas that fell down that well and had to be scoobied out by that fella that turned out to not be a...

Deep in the heart of the Devon countryside, Billie and her boyfriend are trying to enjoy a romantic getaway when they are interrupted by a strange encounter. As her boyfriend searches for help, Billie decides to take the problem into her own...

"They say travel broadens the mind. It’s flattened mine. I really should think about leaving this hostel soon. This hostel’s largely the problem, I suspect. There’s a younger crowd here. The Utopians, I call them. I’ve lived a little longer than them,...

"A kill’s a kill. Death comes as a thief in the night, wearing only socks. Or a waiter slipping poison into the groom’s champagne. I don’t choose my hits. Some do, but I think that’s a recipe for discrimination."When an assassin is tasked with a...

"Yes, I know you've only got your pension to live off and no, I know it's not much these days, but what do you think my mortgage is going to do, pay itself?"Matilda has been renting out her second home for years and those walls hold some stories. She...

#11 Arsehole by Louis Catliff - performed by Daniel Portman"I know what you’re thinking. How can you let them do that to you? Just sit there and get pumped full of semi-digested fast food for a dare by some spotty little orc and his posse of sniggering...

"My mum had three rules for sex: Rule 1: Keep your head down, eyes up.Rule 2: Always take your pill.Rule 3: If they ask you, "Who's your daddy?" tell them you can't remember. It always throws them off."Olive is walking through the streets of Birmingham...